T/T on the podium, V/T with a thrilling skate, and S/S with gold. Pretty phenomenal way for this event to turn out. D/R in the top five means that the coaching team of Marcotte/Gauthier have two top five teams (D/R and T/T). Pretty cool. T/T's reaction best since Sarah Meier's at Euros.

And anyone else that had happened to, where a fall just so severely affected the flow of the program would have been nailed for that and nailed hard at that. That was not a Top 5 performance and shouldn't have happened.

That perfomance wasn't top 5 it was 6th, actually it was close to being 9th, that's why it's so important to have two good programs. But the short helped keep them in 4th overall.

T/T on the podium, V/T with a thrilling skate, and S/S with gold. Pretty phenomenal way for this event to turn out. D/R in the top five means that the coaching team of Marcotte/Gauthier have two top five teams (D/R and T/T). Pretty cool. T/T's reaction best since Sarah Meier's at Euros.

Didn't knw D/R and T/T are training mates. It's weird they gave T/T great programs year after year and just ok programs for D/R. The SP T/T did last year was also spectacular, especially the footstep. Wow!

Didn't knw D/R and T/T are training mates. It's weird they gave T/T great programs year after year and just ok programs for D/R. The SP T/T did last year was also spectacular, especially the footstep. Wow!

D/R are slightly newer and less well matched. They can "do" high BV jumps and a level three triple twist which makes them base value monsters (behind S/H in that department), and I love them when they're clean (Nationals LP 2012 was terrific) and Duhamel can light up a universe with her smile (seriously, she can cheer while upside down).

Completely agree with regards to T/T's short last year. That was a stunning piece of choreography. That footwork - so well matched and musical and precise and intricate - well, it's the biggest reason why I don't entirely despise pairs footwork, despite most of it being.... well, not good.

The American Pairs split up every year to play musical chairs partners. The Chinese Pairs skate together for 18 years and get married. All yawn worthy compared to the Russians. They can make a fortune with a reality show or sell their stories to soap operas!

rain, do you think that Pina could have really shone more if the 6.0 system was still being used? That's one thing about CoP I hate. There's just so much the skaters have to do now, sometimes it's pretty tough to bring something like Pina to the ice now because there's not that much time left in the program to *really* explore something so modern in movement.

The American Pairs split up every year to play musical chairs partners. The Chinese Pairs skate together for 18 years and get married. All yawn worthy compared to the Russians. They can make a fortune with a reality show or sell their stories to soap operas!

Sounds saucy. I think I would watch it. Not to mention that Tanya and Max are absolutely gorgeous...

Anyway, just watched the pairs.

My favorite programs of the night: S/S (as it has been the case all season long), T/T and K/S The last one is a big surprise to me. I have never been a huge fan of Kavaguti and Sminrov, but I really really loved their performance tonight, mistakes and all. I think Yuko's dress was my absolutely favorite pairs ladies dress (with Narumi's dress in second).

So glad to to see T/T break through. They are such a beautiful pair, with great transitions and posture. But it was hard for me to watch because they could never get the jumps. Tonight, when they hit their jumps, I really could see how great they were. And also I find the relationship between Narumi and Melvin to be so cute. I just love their fist pumps.

As for the Americans, I think they did a decent effort given the deep field. I actually found that I liked Marley and Brubecker must better and agree with many that they have a lot of long-term potential. I think they still need a lot of polish--but they have great speed and I like some of the elements they sprinkled throughout the music. I admire D/C for being strong jumpers, but they have a lot of work on their basics and I actually think despite beating M/B tonight, I can see M/B beating them down the road.

Finally--it was so close between V/T and S/S! But I think the FS placements were right. I'm happy that S/S got their fourth tittle. I think next year is going to be an interesting one. I really see them as the two frontrunners to Sochi.

And the fun part--the bronze is up for grabs. T/T today, but I think it could be any number of pairs — the Canadians (MT-T (so sad they weren't here!) and D/R with their crazy base values), the other Russians....

And I think American pairs have the potential for 3 spots. It will be tough, but I think it can be done, especially if M/B continue to develop and D/C gets some polish.

Despite all the politics the American Pairs did themselves proud, and at this rate they may just one day bring back 3 spots for the Pairs, most likely after the next Olympics though, as to be expected.

Now I hope this lights a fire underneath Gretchen Donlan & Andrew Speroff the most!

I see that some of the folks here have been pretty harsh towards SH compared to TT. I do admit T/T has some more polished elements compared to SH due to the age gap, and SH have many work to do as they are much younger than TT. But don't use this as an excuse for your harshness towards them. At the age of 13 or 14? They have already done such a wonderful job. The audience love them. Many of us love them. Figure skating are composed of two parts : tech and pcs. Tech is the basis. While you are attacking SH for their immaturity on the pcs aspect, the fans of SH could also attack TT for their inconsistency on the jumps. But we didn't do so. Because we know how to respect others. Don't inflict any argument becasue we would defend our loved athletes from such impolite accusation. Mind your own business pls.

I see that some of the folks here have been pretty harsh towards SH compared to TT. I do admit T/T has some more polished elements compared to SH due to the age gap, and SH have many work to do as they are much younger than TT. But don't use this as an excuse for your harshness towards them. At the age of 13 or 14? They have already done such a wonderful job. The audience love them. Many of us love them. Figure skating are composed of two parts : tech and pcs. Tech is the basis. While you are attacking SH for their immaturity on the pcs aspect, the fans of SH could also attack TT for their inconsistency on the jumps. But we didn't do so. Because we know how to respect others. Don't inflict any argument becasue we would defend our loved athletes from such impolite accusation. Mind your own business pls.

The age is irrelevant.

The accuracy of judging isn't. When T/T screw up the jumps, they get dinged for it. When S/S skate sloppily with fast hand gestures and attitude to disguise the lack of basic skating excellence, they get gifted for it. That is a difference worth noting.

re: D/D - I thought about that, and could see it. D/D didn't have the greatest relationship, off-ice, whereas T/T seem to. D/D had massive injury problems to deal with as well.